1
as in faux
being such in appearance only and made with or manufactured from usually cheaper materials
a sofa upholstered in sham leather
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in counterfeit
being such in appearance only and made or manufactured with the intention of committing fraud
street vendors selling sham designer handbags to gullible tourists
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in mock
lacking in natural or spontaneous quality
the sham friendliness of a salesman trying to sell you something
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in parody
a poor, insincere, or insulting imitation of something
condemned the rigged election as a total sham
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in hoax
an imitation that is passed off as genuine
the diamond turned out to be a sham
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in fraud
one who makes false claims of identity or expertise
that supposed French movie star was a sham
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to pretend
to present a false appearance of
shammed a most unconvincing limp just to get sympathy
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of sham
Joshua Rothman,
New Yorker,
12 June 2026
Authorities investigated the theft of several off-highway vehicles in Dorchester and Dedham and arrested two males who participated in the sham business.
—
Colleen Cronin,
Boston Herald,
26 May 2026
Stephanie Osmanski,
Better Homes & Gardens,
26 June 2026
The set comes with two matching shams, and all three pieces feature a textured pattern that adds dimension to your bedding.
—
Toni Sutton,
PEOPLE,
26 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for sham
Adjective
The pursuit of youth involved a lot of sham science.
—
Joshua Rothman,
New Yorker,
12 June 2026
Authorities investigated the theft of several off-highway vehicles in Dorchester and Dedham and arrested two males who participated in the sham business.
—
Colleen Cronin,
Boston Herald,
26 May 2026
Noun
The quilt also comes with two matching 20-x-36-inch pillow shams.
—
Stephanie Osmanski,
Better Homes & Gardens,
26 June 2026
The set comes with two matching shams, and all three pieces feature a textured pattern that adds dimension to your bedding.
—
Toni Sutton,
PEOPLE,
26 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for sham
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sham
Adjective
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Inside, a memory foam insole with arch support cushions every step, and the soft faux leather molds to your ideal fit over time.
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The white interior and faux leather are also available in Overland and reviewed Limited trims.
Adjective
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Merchandise including counterfeit perfumes, Rolex watches, knockoff Knicks apparel, sunglasses, electronics and Labubus were seized, in addition to $145,000 in cash, police said.
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According to the sheriff's office, Major Crimes Detectives responded to the scene to collect evidence, which included several sheets of counterfeit currency.
Adjective
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On Thursday, Gary Police Department personnel visited campers to teach about crime scene investigation and create a mock crime scene for students to solve.
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An 11-year-old Dexter Sol Ansell is peering into his Zoom camera, hands pressed to his cheeks and mouth wide open in mock shock.
Noun
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Scary Movie paved the way for more big-screen parodies, including Date Movie (2006), Epic Movie (2007), and Meet the Spartans (2008).
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Their outmoded style, with its seriousness and corniness, its big acting choices and low budgets, is basically impossible to recreate without falling into parody.
Noun
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By probing his triple role as author, anthropologist and cult leader, the book asks why Americans hunger for seductive spiritual hoaxes.
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The Little Rock Zoo briefly stopped admitting visitors on Friday morning while authorities investigating a bomb threat that was found to be a hoax.
Noun
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David Vander Meer, 49, was being held at Clark County Detention Center on first-degree murder and insurance fraud charges stemming from the death of his wife, Bernadette, two decades ago.
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According to prosecutors, Eidleh deposited more than $5 million in fraud proceeds, kickbacks and bribes into accounts associated with shell companies in an effort to conceal the source of the money.
Verb
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While attempting to clean up the bad press, the pair is forced to pretend to be best friends, during which the unlikely pair secretly falls in love.
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The show only pretends to be organized around romantic couples.
Adjective
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First was a Drug Enforcement Administration badge and ID with Horsch’s photo on it, but the ID was fake, and Horsch has never worked for the DEA, according to court documents.
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This game preserves the difficulty of coming up with an elaborate, consistent false narrative on the spot, and the challenge of adapting that narrative on the fly when other players present convincing (and sometimes fake) counter-evidence.
Cite this Entry
“Sham.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sham. Accessed 3 Jul. 2026.
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